Funeral Set For Jamaican- American Governor’s Aide

Carey Gabay, a Caribbean-born lawyer in New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s administration died on Sept. 17, 2015 after being hit by an apparent stray bullet at the annual J’Ouvert Festival early Labor morning, Sept. 7, 2015.

News Americas, BROOKLYN, NY, Fri. Sept. 18, 2015: Funeral arrangements for the Jamaican-American attorney to New York governor Andrew Cuomo has been set for this weekend, his relatives said Monday.

Funeral services for Carey Gabay, the attorney who was shot in an apparent gang cross fire at the J’Ouvert festival in the wee hours of Labor Day morning, will be held on Friday, Sept. 25th and Saturday, Sept. 26th, at Brooklyn’s Emmanuel Baptist Church, 279 Lafayette Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11238, where he and his wife were members.

The public viewing is set for Friday from 2 – 6 p.m. while a wake is set to be held from 6 – 8 p.m.

A private funeral will be held on Saturday Sept. 26th followed by a burial.

Those wishing to make donations to the family can visit www.careygabay.com. Mementos, cards and other expressions of sympathy may be sent to The Gabay Family, 137 Montague Street, Suite 385, Brooklyn, NY 11201. Flowers may be sent to the Emmanuel Baptist Church c/o The Gabay Family, 279 Lafayette Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11238.

“Carey Gabay, our beloved husband, son, brother, uncle and friend passed away on September 15th. A talented lawyer and public servant, Carey, 43, was taken away from us too soon after he was the innocent victim of senseless violence. He is no longer with us but his legacy will live on,” the family said in a statement yesterday.

The NYPD is now using facial recognition software to try to track down the gunman, who police believe is a local gang member. Authorities say he opened fire at a rival among hundreds who were peacefully enjoying the festivities, striking the 43-year-old first deputy counsel to the governor at about 3:47 a.m.

The suspect is described as a black man in his late teens or early 20s who was wearing a white T-shirt and black pants. He had a beard and was draped in a Jamaican flag.

Detectives have collected more than 300 videos from the scene.

Officials of the West Indian American Day Carnival Association (WIADCA) are among those who have voiced deep sadness at Gabay’s passing.

“In light of this heartbreaking development, we join those mourning the tragic loss of Carey Gabay, who was an outstanding public servant committed to making a difference in our communities each and every day. Our thoughts and prayers for comfort and healing continue to go out to his family and friends during this difficult time,” WIADCA said in a statement late last week.

The statement comes after mainstream news outlets, including the Associated Press and the New York Times, falsely reported that Gabay was shot at the carnival.

Other top New York City politicians have also expressed condolences including Senator Kirsten Gillibrand two tweeted on September 18th: “My thoughts & prayers are with loved ones & colleagues of Carey Gabay, who passed away this week, another victim of senseless gun violence.”

“My prayers & condolences go out to Carey Gabay’s family. We lost a brilliant man yesterday, an incredible public servant & a friend of many,” Senator Chuck Schumer tweeted on Sept. 17th while Governor Cuomo tweeted also on September 17th: “Today, the State of New York has lost one of its finest young men.”

Gabay was born to Jamaican immigrant parents and grew up in the Bronx. He was a Harvard graduate.